Falling in Love
Fu Peijia curled up under the covers, recalling the kiss that had just taken place at the Qiao villa. Her neck felt slightly warm.
She hadn’t even decided yet whether to be his girlfriend, and she’d already lost a battle.
Afterward, Qiao Jiaxuan teased her, saying that if she didn’t agree, wouldn’t she end up losing both the battle and the war?
Peijia was seething with frustration, yet deep down, her heart felt so sweet it was as if honey were overflowing.
She was practically done with classes at the university; all she had left to do was finish her thesis.
Fu Peijia curled up in bed, staring at the glow outside the window, refusing to get up. It had been several days in a row, and Qiao Jiaxuan hadn’t contacted her at all. For some reason, she found herself worrying about him. She couldn’t concentrate on her research materials each day, and she hadn’t made any progress on her thesis at all.
Frustrated, she pulled the blanket over her head, curling up inside it, refusing to move a muscle.
Just as she was drifting off, on the verge of meeting the God of Sleep, she heard the sound of her cell phone ringing, now near, now far. She had no choice but to reach out a hand, fumbling around for a while before finally finding it: “Hello??”
“You little lazy girl, still sleeping? The sun’s already beating down on your head!”
Fu Peijia’s drowsiness vanished instantly—it was that annoying Qiao Jiaxuan. She didn’t respond.
“Come on, get up! Come have lunch with me”
“No way!”
“I just got back from the U.S. at 1 a.m. last night. I haven’t treated my five vital organs right in days.”
Fu Peijia wavered a bit, but still flatly refused: “No way!”
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line: “I haven’t seen you in days. I want to see you. Since you don’t want to go, never mind”
In an instant, all her anger and pride vanished: “Oh—well, I’ll go then.”
“I’ll be there in half an hour!” A hint of a smile tinged her voice.
They went to the same restaurant they’d visited for the first time, and ordered the exact same dishes. In high spirits, Peijia polished off every last bite of the food Qiao Jiaxuan had served her.
Just as she put down her chopsticks, she looked up to see Qiao Jiaxuan gazing at her with an expression full of affection.
“Why did you eat so little? No wonder you’re so thin! Eat some more!”
“I can’t eat anymore—I’ve already broken my personal record.”
Qiao Jiaxuan laughed, a charming smile curving his lips.
“There’s a banquet tonight. Will you accompany me?”
Fu Peijia stared intently at him, knowing this was both a test and an invitation. He was, after all, a successful businessman. If she agreed to attend, it would be tantamount to publicly acknowledging their relationship. If she refused, he would likely reconsider their relationship.
If she were rational enough, she would tell him she needed to think it over and give him an answer by evening.
But deep down, a joyful voice kept screaming, “Fu Peijia, say yes! Fu Peijia, say yes!”
Fu Peijia couldn’t read anything from his calm expression. His face was as composed as if he were describing today’s weather. Yet a strange gleam flashed in his eyes, making her sense his longing.
Fu Peijia lowered her head: “All right!” She couldn’t analyze the situation; she acted purely on instinct.
……..
Melodious music flowed gently through the spacious room, and under the soft lighting, the room was filled with guests dressed in luxurious attire. Yet when Fu Peijia appeared with Qiao Jiaxuan, her arm around his, it still caused quite a stir. Five minutes later, everyone in the hall knew that the renowned Qiao Jiaxuan was already taken, and that the Fu family’s heiress—whose name was equally famous for her wealth—was also spoken for.
Although such a union of two powerful figures was nothing new to them, they were still slightly stunned by the sheer magnitude of the couple’s combined wealth.
Qiao Jiaxuan leaned down and whispered into Peijia’s ear, “Guess what everyone’s thinking?”
Fu Peijia looked up and smiled softly, “What do you think?”
Their eyes met, and they smiled at each other!
Fu Peijia turned her head and scanned the room, looking for her father. She hadn’t informed him that she was attending the event with Qiao Jiaxuan. But how could he possibly be absent from a gathering like this? In an instant, she spotted Fu Xiong standing beside the host, Lei Shibo; he was smiling as he looked in her direction.
Fu Peijia gently tugged at Qiao Jiaxuan’s sleeve. Qiao Jiaxuan caught her cue and, taking her hand, walked toward Fu Xiong.
Qiao Jiaxuan
smiled politely: “Hello, Mr. Lei!” When he turned to Fu Xiong, he switched to: “Hello, Uncle!”
Fu Xiong looked at the lovely couple with satisfaction: “Very good, very good!”
Lei Haowei, who was very familiar with the Fu family—having practically watched Fu Peijia grow up—began to tease, “Brother Fu, it looks like you’ll have to start preparing her dowry!”
Although Fu Peijia was used to grand occasions, when it came to herself, she was, after all, a shy young woman, so she blushed and lowered her head: “Uncle Lei, you’re so mean!”
Lei Haowei, Fu Xiong, and the others all burst into laughter.
Just then, a new dance tune began to play. Qiao Jiaxuan took Fu Peijia’s hand, excused themselves briefly from the crowd, and glided across the dance floor with her.
Ever since they’d confirmed their relationship at that gathering, Qiao Jiaxuan’s dates with Peijia had become increasingly frequent. Fu Xiong was, of course, thoroughly pleased with him. Whether in appearance, wealth, education, or worldly wisdom, he was in no way inferior to Peijia, and he doted on her immensely—what father wouldn’t be satisfied?
However, during these past few months of dating, Peijia sometimes found herself feeling a sense of disbelief.
Qiao Jiaxuan was mature and steady, wealthy beyond measure, and exceptionally handsome. But she, Fu Peijia, had nothing special about her other than being Fu Xiong’s daughter. In terms of looks, she could only be described as a delicate beauty. In terms of education, she was just an ordinary college graduate. People like her were a dime a dozen on the street.
That day, at Qiao Jiaxuan’s villa, she was curled up on the large sofa in his study, watching his capable back as he busied himself with business matters, when a sudden wave of emotion washed over her: “Xuan, what exactly do you like about me?”
Qiao Jiaxuan turned his head, looking quite surprised, and after a moment, he laughed. “Silly girl, what do you think?” As he spoke, he walked over to the sofa, sat down, and wrapped his arms around her.
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking you!”
Qiao Jiaxuan said nothing, but leaned in and began kissing her gently on the lips. After a long moment, he finally let her go, breathless: “Don’t go home tonight!” Although the two had gone public with their relationship, Peijia’s shyness meant they hadn’t yet reached the most intimate level.
Peijia looked at him, her face flushed, her breathing uneven, though there was still a hint of resistance in her eyes.
Qiao Jiaxuan sighed: “Then stay with me a little longer. I’m so bored all by myself. I’ll take you home later.”
These past few days, she had practically made the Qiao family villa her home. Starting in the afternoon, she’d begin preparing meals in the kitchen, waiting for him to come home from work so they could eat together. After dinner, she’d stay with him in his study while he worked late. Fortunately, she had taken cooking classes since childhood; though her cooking was nothing special, it was still passable. Watching Qiao Jiaxuan polish off the meals she prepared every day made all of Pejia’s hard work feel incredibly rewarding. Perhaps this was what it meant to love someone.
**************
The top-floor banquet hall of the International Grand Hotel was teeming with people. The reception area was already packed, and many guests—despite lacking invitations—were scrambling to present their gifts, afraid they might be outdone by others.
The CEO of PP.OM and the only daughter of the Fu Enterprises were getting engaged today—news that had sent shockwaves throughout all of Asia. Every prominent figure present was scrambling to present lavish gifts, not wanting to be left behind.
“Are you tired?” the groom, dressed in a white tuxedo, whispered as he leaned over the beautiful bride. His tender expression made all the young ladies from prominent families in the room green with envy.
Pei Jia gave a sweet smile and slowly shook her head. How could she possibly be tired? Today was the day her dreams came true—her prince was right by her side, pledging their love for a lifetime.
Another guest approached to offer congratulations. Qiao Jiaxuan shifted his gaze from her elegant features and looked politely at the newcomer.
Although the guest list had undergone several rounds of screening, there were still many attendees. Given the immense scale of both families’ businesses, they had countless friends in political and business circles, as well as numerous international partners and representatives from major conglomerates—most of whom had rushed to attend this engagement party.
“Dad,” Pejia suddenly left Qiao Jiaxuan and walked toward Fu Xiong, her lovely face radiant with a brilliant glow.
“Why aren’t you staying with Jiaxuan?” Fu Xiong asked, looking at his daughter with affection.
“He said you must be tired from standing all this time. We’re here, so you don’t have to attend to every guest—go get some rest,” she said, her adorable smile turned toward her father.
“I’m fine. Go back to him,” Fu Xiong said, his face beaming with joy as he looked at his daughter.
A lovely blush spread across Peijia’s pretty face. She nodded slightly and fluttered back to Qiao Jiaxuan’s side like a butterfly.
“It seems I made the right choice!” Fu Xiong nodded to himself.
The chaotic yet sweet engagement party came to a close amid a chorus of well-wishes. After a night filled with exhaustion and excitement, the soon-to-be newlyweds were now resting in the hotel’s presidential suite.
Peijia emerged from the bathroom in her nightgown, barefoot. Her white lace nightgown was both modest and exuded an innocent sensuality. Her angelically beautiful face was flushed, and her gentle eyes shone with a determined light.
Qiao Jiaxuan stood on the balcony outside the floor-to-ceiling windows; his figure in a white shirt was reflected in her tender gaze. He stood motionless, gazing at the night view outside the window as if frozen in place.
“Xuan,” her gentle voice rang out.
He spun around abruptly, his piercing black eyes flickering subtly. “Are you done showering?” His voice was as deep as the night.
Peijia timidly clasped her hands together and nodded slowly.
Qiao Jiaxuan walked toward her; with his collar open, he looked different from usual—decadent and dangerously alluring. Standing before her, he first silently studied her, then gently ran his fingers through her hair, letting it slip through his fingers.
She held her breath, her heart pounding erratically, her body trembling uncontrollably.
“Once you’ve made up your mind, there’s no turning back.” He wrapped his arms around her slender waist and looked deeply into her eyes.
Under his gaze, she couldn’t breathe; the tightness in her chest was unbearable. She could do nothing but nod; she was speechless. She had made up her mind: from this day forward, she would never leave him, never let him be alone…